Ecology

Text of the Autonomous Struggle Meeting, about the case of the Acheloos river diversion and the operation of the hydroelectric dam in Mesochora village.

The operation of the hydroelectric dam in Mesochora village and the hydroelectric factory nearby, will be responsible for the destruction of Acheloos river, while the diversion of the river will cause major disasters for both natures and the human communities around there, as large areas will sink into mud, biotopes will disappear and houses will be evacuated from the so called Public Power Corporation, so that the dam and the factory can be put into operation.

Following the policy of previous governments, the “left wing” government of Syriza continues to promote the interests of private companies, giving the green light to the operation of the dam. There is a plan on privatization of the social resources (like water) and their exploitation by large companies. The Acheloos dam is a part of it, as the state continuing wastes huge amounts of social wealth for the construction and the maintenance of dams and factories that have devastating effects on the environment and society, and which will be given to individuals for their own profit. Read the rest of this entry »

Text of the Committees of the struggle against gold mining of Halkidiki & Thessaloniki, about the concert of September 27th in Halkidiki against gold mining.

And so the time has come for us to join together once again. All of us who dream of a better world. All of us who believe in solidarity and common struggles.

In our longtime struggle against catastrophic mining activities we have met with so many people, collectives, and social movements. Each with their own problems and struggles. Each with their own ideology and viewpoint. We have realized, however, that –in its essence – the problem is a common one. A brutal exploitation of people and nature, by few whose only interest lies in money and power.

Our struggle is a struggle for survival. We are contesting the right of existence and self determination. We are struggling for a healthy natural and social environment. We refuse to be a cog in a machine which manufactures money for few and destruction for the rest. We are here so that there may be a tomorrow for the children of all of nature’s species.

“There is no other way”, they tell us. “It is we who pave the way”, we answer. With struggles, words, music, images. Read the rest of this entry »

Wednesday, February 19th 2014 15:50: During the protest residents of NE Chalkidiki at Hondro Dendro have been attacked by riot police who were beating and dragging residents on the ground. Women who were participating at the protest formed human chains to stop the passage of buses with workers who were coming out of the construction site. Riot police attacked the demonstrators by beating them and using tear gas resulting in three people being injured and transferred to a local health center, according to information confirmed there were three arrests, two women and a man from Ierissos. The detained women have been transferred to the Polygyros Police Station. (The Ierissos village police station was burned down and abandoned about a year ago during a massive attack on the village by police invading homes during the early hours of the morning and abducting people in the dark).

People are still laying down on the ground unconscious, there is a massive call for medical assistance and residents are standing by for ambulances to arrive. As ambulances are not arriving one man suffering with heart/chest problems is being transported with a patrol car. Live reporting from the sight heard on the “Red” radio station includes statements as “they are dragging women on the ground” and “they are dragging my uncle on the ground who is suffering from heart problems”. “A man is seriously injured and is lying on the ground. Riot police squads have remained at the scene for over half an hour and are waiting for an ambulance and nothing came. We protest because they are once again breaking the law. They are clearing forest to open up the road, dumping dangerous mining waste, and are building structures without any permits. The police intervened and we did sit down in an act of civil disobedience and they have dragged the women to open up the road, they have arrested two women, one from Gomati and one from Ierissos. The two women injured have been beaten and dragged on the ground. We urgently need an ambulance, a man is suffering from heart problems is laying on the ground” said Lola Chrisouli, an Ierissos resident claimed at the “Red” radio station. Read the rest of this entry »